Kyle Hackett

Learn More About Kyle Hackett

Scholarship Recipient Profile: Thriving

“As an artist, it is the highest feeling to know that your art has touched and impacted someone. I certainly hope that through my journey, I have encouraged others to believe in positivity during times of struggle, while reminding them that dreams can be carved even from poverty.”

Roberta Polevoy Fund Scholarship Recipient

Kyle Hackett '13 felt that coming to MICA was his destiny. The history of the Hoffberger School of Painting as the first, and one of the only, schools dedicated exclusively to painting is a legacy that he had to be a part of. His interaction with faculty— notably program director Joan Waltemath—and guest critics has been invaluable, contributing to a supportive atmosphere of study and innovation that empowers students serious about art.

Though thrilled to be accepted into one of the most selective academic programs in the world, Hackett doubts that he would have been able to attend were it not for the Roberta Polevoy Fund Scholarship he received. It was a validation for him that hard work is still rewarded. The scholarship, which supports graduate students at MICA, is made possible through the Baltimore Community Foundation, which promotes education and neighborhood development as a means to enhance Baltimore’s growing economy and the ability of residents to thrive.

Hackett sees art as a “ powerful instrument of social transformation.” By understanding its history , he says , he can inspire others to understand differences in social , racial , and economic identities through his work.

He hopes that by sharing his own story through painting, he can help others as they make sense of their stories. Ultimately, in addition to making art, he wants to teach at the college level, and he would love to create a fund of his own that helps young people facing adverse living conditions to develop their talents.